Lodging costs threaten attendance at COP30 in Belem

As COP30 looms in Belem, Brazil, organizers warn that the gathering could be hampered by unaffordable travel and lodging. With less than two months to go, only about 36% of the 196 participating countries have confirmed attendance and paid for accommodations, according to a COP presidency spokesperson. The numbers underscore a broader access challenge that could shape the outcome of a conference deemed crucial for updating and strengthening national climate plans.

Beyond governments, activists and youth delegates report soaring hotel rates and scarce affordable options. Pooja Tilvawala, founder and executive director of Youth Climate Collaborative, has spent more than $46,000 of her own savings to create a housing portal for young participants, linking them with lodging deals in Belem. She has spent hours scouting options, negotiating prices and deposits, and she fears that if not enough people commit, she could lose funds already laid down. "There’s always a huge number of fossil fuel company representatives there," she said, explaining why she believes youth involvement is essential. "We need to be here."

Belem’s role as host was meant to spotlight development challenges in the Amazon and rapidly growing cities in the developing world, but lodging costs have intensified pressure on attendees from poorer countries, Indigenous groups, and civil-society participants who traditionally attend COP in non-governmental roles. The Brazilian government has moved to ease the squeeze by offering a limited number of rooms at what officials describe as accessible prices and by deploying two cruise ships capable of housing up to 6,000 people. Climate Minister Marina Silva said the plan is designed so that everyone can participate and that those affected by climate change must be part of the talks. "Everybody will have access to participate in COP30," Silva said at a recent briefing. "Facing climate change must be done by all of us, by all the parties of the convention and especially by those who are already living the consequences of climate change."

But that push faces counterpressure from within the U.N. system. U.N. Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell sent a Sept. 9 letter urging agencies and related organizations to review how many people they are sending to COP30 and to reduce travel where possible, signaling concern that attendance could be unmanageably large or unrepresentative if costs persist.

Locally, the Belem setup has generated mixed feelings. Belem was initially excited to host the conference, said Arnaldo Vaz Neto, a Brazilian financial advisor who has worked with the Young Scholars Initiative as an intermediary between locals and COP30 visitors seeking housing. He described hospitality as a cultural instinct but acknowledged the United Nations’ high standards complicating negotiations between hosts and delegates. Nearby workers and unions have added another layer of disruption, as a construction strike began Sept. 15 and intersects with venues and transport projects tied to the conference.

The price squeeze has become visible in the figures promoted by officials and housing brokers. The government’s accessible rooms are expected to run roughly between $200 and $600 per night, a range that still pushes some attendees toward less traditional options. Belem currently offers about 53,000 beds, while organizers say roughly 50,000 participants may ultimately be accommodated. That balance is tighter than at some past COPs, even as this year’s negotiations are viewed as among the most consequential in years because countries must update and strengthen their plans to cut carbon pollution.

Civil-society groups say the impact is already being felt. Hailey Campbell, who leads Care About Climate, said the group has never faced access challenges of this scale. Campuses and youth groups have highlighted the issue on social media with the hashtag #DontPriceUsOut, underscoring a fear that influential voices could be left out when decisions about climate action are made.

In faces of rising prices, some attendees are considering alternative arrangements such as camping in tents or scuttling travel altogether. Hikaru Hayakawa, executive director of Climate Cardinals, estimated that more people than in recent years might decide not to attend due to costs, a development he described as a potential loss of opportunities to build global networks among climate advocates. "It could potentially be a lost opportunity to connect with networks that help drive climate action once we return home," he said.

As COP30 approaches, the conference must balance the logistical and political realities of hosting in Belem with the imperative of broad, diverse participation. The government has shown willingness to create lower-cost housing options and to mobilize large capacity accommodations, but the gap between aspirational access and actual affordability remains a defining challenge. The outcome will likely hinge on whether measures to reduce travel and expand affordable lodging translate into meaningful attendance from youth, Indigenous communities and civil-society groups, whose voices are seen as essential to shaping equitable climate commitments.